CPI extends moral support to kin of deceased ryots

Ongole: CPI State secretary K Ramakrishna along with vice-president of All India Kisan Sangh, Ravula Venkaiah, is scheduled to tour Prakasam, Nellore, Kadapa and Anantapur districts to give moral support to the families of farmers who committed suicide due to debts. They started their tour on Saturday in Prakasam district by visiting the family of Sakhamuri Hanumantha Rao.

Ramakrishna said that due to the drought and scanty rainfall conditions, many farmers were forced to commit suicide unable to clear their pending dues. He said that they were visiting the kith and kin of the farmers who committed suicide, to offer moral support and to advise the farmers who are in the same condition to not take the extreme step.

He said they will conduct a meeting with the families of these farmers in Amaravati and meet the Chief Minister seeking justice to them. He advised the Prakasam Collector to give a chance to the eligible family members of farmers to work as the village volunteers or as assistants in the village secretariat.

Ravula Venkaiah demanded the government to see the announced compensation reach the families of farmers immediately to provide relief to them. He demanded the government to see the money was utilised for the family needs, but not for the clearance of loans.

The families of the farmers requested the government to see that they also not succumb to loan burden. They said that the loan burden was more than Rs 7 lakh to them and they do not want to avoid anyone from repaying. They asked the government to form a committee with officials to settle the loan burden for one time and see the loans were not transferred to their children in future.

According to sources, as the suicides of the farmers continued for more than a week, the State government responded, and the Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Mission chaired by the Chief Minister announced an ex gratia of Rs 7 lakh to the kin of farmers. Though no family member of farmers received any instructions from the officials, the money lenders are already warning them to clear their debt completely.

Sakhamuri Radhika, a victim said that the moneylenders had already taken the signatures of their minor children, as debtors on white papers after the death of their father. Another victim Polavarapu Anusha is clueless about the future but doesn't want to make it a more burden. So, she is planning to join her children in the government school, by taking their TC from the Gravity Global School in Addanki.